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May 12 2006 - Overlooking The Obvious
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My ability to completely overlook the obvious never ceases to amaze me. I spent my first week here crying copiously and frequently. In this state of mind, I immediately assumed it is because of deep wounds from my childhood; only later to discover it has NOTHING to do with my past and everything to do with my present. I spent seven months last year undergoing treatment for breast cancer. This involved two operations, removal of the lymph nodes from my right arm, six sessions of chemotherapy, fifteen sessions of radiotherapy, twelve self -administered injections, and the consumption of enough drugs to stock a village pharmacy. This apparently places rather large demands on a girls' body. Ten days after finishing treatment (August) I visited friends in Ireland to celebrate my return to a world that no longer revolved around hospitals and illness. In my experience visits to the Emerald Isle are steeped in alcohol, and this one was no exception. I drank for England. My favourite question in the world is 'would you like a glass of champagne?' My second favourite question is 'would you like another?' Thank-you Ireland. In September I visited two dear friends who live in Ibiza. Further celebrations ensued, also involving the grape, as did a trip to Menorca with four girl friends in October/November. This was followed by birthday, Christmas and New Year festivities, and by January all this socializing (excess) finally caught up with me and I was terminally exhausted. I spent the entire month of February in bed, ventured forth in March to equip myself for this trip, and arrived in Africa April 5th. I couldn't arrive in Africa without leaving England, and leaving England involved leaving, among others, a man I have grown to care for deeply. So to find myself living in a tent, in the bush, on my own, surrounded by monkeys in 30 degrees of heat, my emotional reaction appears entirely appropriate. See what I mean by overlooking the obvious? P.S. I'm having a ball!
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